Hello again! We are continuing our conversation on the Theodore Roosevelt National Park Wild Horse Protection Act. The next few blog posts will go over our concerns about the legislation as it is currently written and amendments we are hoping the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will consider.
We are continuing to communicate our concerns with Senator Hoeven and other members of Congress. We WILL have a Call to Action surrounding this legislation when it is time. Again, be sure to subscribe to our blogs and/or follow us on social media for important updates.
We provided you with text to review the proposed legislation in our last blog. You can read that here: https://chwha.org/2025/10/15/federal-legislation-the-theodore-roosevelt-national-park-wild-horse-protection-act/
This legislation, as written, calls for the park to have “a population of not fewer than 150 horses.”
There are currently 199 horses that call the park home. The first issue we have with the legislation as written, is that the number of horses to remain in the park is subject to interpretation. We can all agree that EVERY SINGLE horse currently living in the park deserves to live out their lives in the only home they have ever known.
Without clarity added to this legislation on THIS herd of horses being allowed to remain in the park, the fear is that before the ink dries on this legislation, 49 horses will be rounded up and removed from the park.
53 horses are currently between the age of 15-26. The average age of a wild horse is 15-20 years old. Between the low number of foals being born each year and the fact that we will lose 53 horses in the next 5+ years means that the number of horses will be naturally adjusted. It is also important to note that over the last few years we have lost a number of young horses between the ages of 1 day old and 4 years old.
Senator Hoven’s office believes that by saying “not fewer than 150 horses” that the current herd of 199 is protected. Regional Director Bert Frost shared the park’s view in our meeting with him earlier this year when he stated that there were too many horses in the park. For TRNP, 199 is too many horses.
The legislation, as written, is already showing interpretation issues. We want this legislation to protect all the current horses in the park. That needs to be clear in this legislation.
If our aim is to have a genetically viable herd of wild horses, leading wild horse geneticist, Gus Cothran, has repeatedly stated that we need 150-200 wild horses for genetic diversity. The legislation needs to be amended to reflect science and allow for a range of 150-200 horses to remain in the park. This will allow all horses currently in the park to remain. This simple range inclusion clarifies the population expectation and leaves less to interpretation.
We will continue this conversation over the next week or so, so please be sure to check back.
We need your support now more than ever as we work to secure the future of these historic wild horses. You can make a donation to us here: https://secure.everyaction.com/wnK6YjHlTkCC2Aq57_7srQ2
Our Fall Online Silent Auction is happening NOW through Sunday 10/19 at 8pm Mountain Time. There are over 150 items waiting for your bids! You can check out all of the items in our auction, and place your bid here: https://chwha.betterworld.org/auctions/chwha-2025-fall-auction
We also have our 2026 CHWHA calendars available for purchase while supplies last! You can grab yours here: https://chasinghorses.com/products/chwha-13-month-2026-calendar
As always, thank you for your continued support and dedication to this herd.
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